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AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

Vertical farms bear fruit

Nature Biotechnology volume 38, pages 160–162 (2020)Cite this article

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Engineering perishable crops for use in indoor farms promises to expand the adoption of this high-yielding, efficient means of food production.

Climate-controlled farms, including vertical indoor farms and greenhouses, have the potential to improve food security for the growing number of city dwellers worldwide. However, only leafy greens and herbs are grown commercially in most indoor farms1. If indoor farming is to realize its potential to increase fruit and vegetable production globally, the diversity of crops that can be grown indoors must increase. In this issue, Kwon et al.2 showcase the application of genetic technologies to modify both plant architecture and flowering times in tomatoes and groundcherries. This is an important example of how to expand the diversity of crops that can be grown in vertical farms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Queensland Biosciences Precinct, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia

    Cathryn A. O’Sullivan, C. Lynne McIntyre, Ian B. Dry, Susan M. Hani, Zvi Hochman & Graham D. Bonnett

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  1. Cathryn A. O’Sullivan
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  2. C. Lynne McIntyre
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  3. Ian B. Dry
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  4. Susan M. Hani
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  5. Zvi Hochman
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  6. Graham D. Bonnett
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Correspondence to Cathryn A. O’Sullivan.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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O’Sullivan, C.A., McIntyre, C.L., Dry, I.B. et al. Vertical farms bear fruit. Nat Biotechnol 38, 160–162 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-019-0400-z

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